Control for filling change mechanism for looms



June 13, 1967 H. M TATE 3,324,898

CONTROL FOR FILLING CHANGE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed July 20, 1965 F3Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS June 13, WW H. M. TATE 3,324,898

CONTROL FOR FILLING CHANGE MECHANTSM FOP LOOMS Filed July 20, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,324, CONTROL FORFILLING CHANGE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Howell M. Tate, Cheraw, S.C.,assignor to Burlington In.

dustries, Inc., Greensboro, N.C., a corporation of Dela- Filed July 20,1965, Ser. No. 473,317 9 Claims. (Cl. 139-242 The present inventionrelates to improvements in con-. trols for filling change mechanisms onautomatic filling replenishing looms, and more particularly, to animproved electrical and mechanical control system for detecting spentbobbins and initiating actuation of the filling change mechanism.

In looms of the automatic filling or weft replenishing type, forexample, the Draper loom, there is provided a magazine for storage offull bobbins or quills, and a filling change mechanism having a controlfor detecting a spent bobbin and actuating transfer mechanism fortransferring a full bobbin into the shuttle box as the spent bobbin isstripped therefrom. Usually this type of loom includes a midget feelerpositioned on the box side of the loom for feeling the amount of fillingremaining on the bobbin when the shuttle enters the shuttle box. If themidget feeler indicates a spent bobbin, it in turn actuates an elongatedstarter shaft extending transversely across the loom to the replenishingside, the starter shaft in turn setting up the pivotal hammer so thatthe hammer can actuate under the influence of the forwardly moving layto project a full package or bobbin into the shuttle when the shuttlereturns to the shuttle box on the replenishing side of the loom, thefull bobbin expelling the spent bobbin. The starter or rock shaft wasmounted at its ends in bearings and on its end located at thereplenishing side of the loom; it was provided withthe usual rearwardlyextending arm connected to a finger which engaged a pin that in turn wasoperatively connected to a shuttle feeler on the replenishing side ofthe loom. The shuttle feeler was moved by the rocking motion of thestarting shaft 15 to a position rearwardly of the loom for determiningwhether or not a shuttle was properly boxed for replenishing. If theshuttle feeler indicated that the shuttle was properly boxed in thereplenishing end, then movement of the reciprocating lay would cause thehammer to be rocked about its pivotal axis on a stationary shaft so asto insert a full bobbin or quill into the shuttle while the spent bobbinwas expelled downwardly therefrom.

The present invention is an improvement over such prior controls forfilling change mechanisms in that it eliminates the transverselyextending rock or starter shaft, the expensive bearings supporting thesame, the mechanical coupling of the starter shaft to the midget feeler,and the rearwardly extending arm and finger arrangement for moving theshuttle feeler rearwardly into position for determining whether or notthe shuttle is properly boxed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcontrol for filling change mechanism which is part mechanical and partelectrical and which can be installed on existing looms-as well as newlooms.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved control filling change mechanism for looms in which anelectrical circuitry is used for initiating activation of linkagecontrolling the filling change mechanism, the electrical circuitry alsoincluding means for rendering the linkage inactive should the loom stopat any time during replenishing so that the filling change mechanism isnot operated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a control for afilling change mechanism having a simplified electrical circuitry forinitiating actuation of linkage for moving the transfer hammer withmeans actuated by movement of the transfer hammer to reset the circuitryfor the next detection of a spent bobbin.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willappear more fully in the following specification, claims and drawings inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a loom having the improved controlfor the filling change mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the linkage arrangement actuatedby the electrical circuitry in controlling the filling change mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view looking from the left of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but illustrating the parts of themechanical linkage after detection of a spent bobbin and just as thetransfer hammer starts its insertion of a full bobbin to replace thespent bobbin in a shuttle boxed on the replenishing side of the loom.

While this invention is primarily applicable to a Draper type of fillingreplenishing loom, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat the invention is also applicable to other types of replenishinglooms wherein the loom utilizes a transfer hammer for inserting a fullbobbin and stripping a spent bobbin.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like character or referencenumerals represent like or similar parts, the automatic replenishingloom of the present invention is diagrammatically represented andgenerally indicated at 10. It includes the usual box end 12 andreplenishing end 14 wherein there isprovided a magazine (not shown) forfull bobbins and/ or equipment such as automatic bobbin wind-ingmechanisms for winding, the filling on spent stripped bobbins andsupplying such bobbins automatically to the magazine. The loom 10 isfurther provided with the usual reciprocating lay 16 on which is mounteda shuttle box 18 at the box end 12 and a second shuttle box 20 at thereplenishing end 14. The usual picker sticks (not shown) are adapted topick the shuttle S back and forth across the lay 16 through the shed ofthe warp controlled by the usual harnesses (not shown).

A midget feeler 22 disposed on the box end of the loom is arranged tofeel the filling on the bobbin B of shuttle S each time the shuttle isreceived in the shuttle box 18. The midget feeler 22 is operativelyconnected to 21 normally open switch 24 in a 12 volt alternating currentcircuit generally indicated at 26. If the bobbin B is spent of filling,the midget feeler will close the switch 24 so as to energize the circuit26. -In more detail, the circuit 26 includes a hot line 28 extendingfrom a source of current 30 to one pole of the switch 24, a second line28 extending from the other pole of the switch 24 to a relay 30. A thirdline 31 extends from relay 30* to ground G to complete the circuit 26.

Relay 30 when energized by closing of switch 24 is adapted to close aswitch 32 in a holding circuit 34 for the relay. It is necessary to havethe holding circuit 34 for the relay 30 as the switch 24 is onlymomentarily closed when the shuttle S enters the box 18 and the bobbin Bis detected as being spent. As soon as the shuttle S is picked out ofthe box 18 back to the replenishing side 14 of the loom 10, the switch24 opens and consequently the relay would be de-energized unless theholding circuit 34 was provided.

A second circuit generally designated at 36 extends from a source 38 of110 volt alternating current through a solenoid 40 having a core 44 andthrough a switch 42 also actuated by the relay 30. The circuit 36extends from the switch 42 to ground G through the line 31. As will nowbe evident when relay 30 is energized and so long as it is maintainedenergized by the holding circuit 34, the circuit 36 will also beenergized so as to actuate the core 44 of the solenoid 40 upwardly asviewed in the drawings.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, it will be noted that the solenoid40 is positioned on the replenishing side 14 of the loom and that itsreciprocating core 44 has pivotally connected thereto at 46 one end of aconnecting rod 48. The opposite end of the connecting rod 48 ispivotally connected to one end of an L-shaped arm 50 as indicated at 52.The arm 50 is pivotally connected at 54 to an arm 56 extending off of atransfer hammer 58. Transfer hammer 58 is pivoted on a horizontal axisindicated at 60 in the usual manner and is provided with a spring 62 fornormally returning it to its inactive position. The transfer hammer 58usually is journalled for pivoting movement on a stationary shaft 64suitably supported at the replenishing side 14 of the loom 10.

L-shaped arm 50 is provided at its end opposite to its connection withconnecting rod 48 with a rod element or cam follower 66 which extendsparallel to but spaced from the shaft 64. The cam follower 66 rests onthe top of a cam 68 suitably journalled on the stationary shaft 64, thecam 68 having integrally fixed thereto an L-shaped actuating arm 70extending generally rearwardly of the loom.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2 (which is the inactive positionof the linkage mechanism for controlling actuation of the hammer 58.),the actuating arm 70 has its free end 71 extending rearwardly of theloom and is arranged when pivoted upwardly about the axis of shaft 64 tobe in a position for engagement with a duckbill 72 or Stafford cutter(FIGURE 4) which is moved when its lay bunter 74 is engaged by a portionof the lay 16 on the forward movement of the same. Of course, theduckbill or Staiford cutter 72 does not move on each forward stroke ofthe lay, but only moves forward one time upon each transfer of thefilling as fully shown in United States Patent No. 1,552,388 issuedSept. 1, 1925 to Alfred E. Stafford.

The actuation of the control thus far described begins when the midgetfeeler 22 detects a spent bobbin B at the box end 12 of loom 10. Thiscauses the switch 24 to momentarily close thereby energizing the firstcircuit 26. The relay 30 Will be energized closing its switches 32 and42. Upon closing ofthe switch 32-, the holding circuit 34 through therelay maintains the relay energized even though the switch 24 opens whenthe shuttle S is picked back across the lay 16 to the replenishing side14 of loom 10.

The energizing of relay 30 also causes the circuit 36 to be energized sothat solenoid 40 is energized to move its core 44 upwardly from theposition shown in FIGURE 2. Upon upward movement of the core 44, theconnecting rod 46 also moves generally upwardly and since the transferhammer 58 cannot move at this time, the L- shaped arm 50 is pivotedabout its connection 54 on the arm 56 of the transfer hammer 58. Asviewed in FIGURE 2, this pivoting of the L-shaped arm 50 will be in thedirection of the arrow A and the bar 66 of the arm 50 will pushdownwardly on the cam 68 so as to also pivot the cam 68 in acounterclockwise direction about its pivot axis 60 on the stationaryshaft 64. Cam 68 continues to pivot in a counterclockwise directionuntil the rod or cam follower 66 rides over the edge of the cam andlodges on the surface 69 on the end of the cam as shown in FIG- URE 4.Upon pivoting of the cam 68, the actuating arm 70 fixed thereto alsopivots until it assumes the position shown in FIGURE 4. When theactuating arm 70 assumes the position shown in FIGURE 4, it is inposition to cause the transfer hammer 58 to pivot clockwise in thedirection of the arrow D of FIGURE 2 when it is engaged by the duckbill72 moving forwardly as indicated at E. As mentioned above, the duckbill72 moves forwardly relative the loom 10 when its lay bunter 74 isengaged by the forwardly moving lay 16 during transfer of the filling.The duckbill 72 engages the end 71 of the actuating arm 70 and pivots itand the cam 68 in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow C inFIGURE 4. The cam followed 66 which is fixedly connected to the L-shapedarm 50 is moved with the cam 68 in a clockwise direction but since theconnecting rod 48 cannot move as the solenoid 40 is still energized, theL-shaped arm 50 swings in a clockwise direction about the pivot point 52rather than the pivot point 54. This movement causes the transfer hammer58 to swing in a clockwise direction of the arrow D about the stationaryshaft 64.

As the transfer hammer 58 swings downwardly to a position of transfer,it closes a switch in a line 82 paralleling the relay 30, thus shortcircuiting the relay 30 so that the current through the holding circuit34 goes directly to ground G instead of through the relay. This causesthe relay 30 to be tie-energized thus opening the switches 32 and 42whereby the holding circuit 34 is broken as well as the circuit 36 tothe solenoid 40. When the solenoid 40 is de-energized, the core 44 ofthe same returns downwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 2 whichpermits the spring 62 to return the hammer 58 to its inactive positionas well as permits the linkage to return to its inactive position shownin FIGURE 2 Loom 10 is provided with the usual knock-01f or stoppinglever 84". During loom operation the stopping or knock-off lever 84 isnormally in a non-stopping or running position such as shown inFIGURE 1. However, as soon as the loom 10 stops for any reason, such asthe shuttle S not being' properly boxed in the box 20', or breaking ofthe filling or warp, the stopping lever 84 is pivoted in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG- URE 1. Stopping lever 84 isconnected to a normally open switch 86 in a circuit 88 parallel to therelay 30 as well as parallel the circuit 82. If the midget feeler 22 hasdetected a spent bobbin and the relay 30 has been energized to set thelinkage mechanism into a position for initiating actuation of thetransfer hammer 58, and if the loom stops while the linkage mechanism isin this position, the movement of the lay 16 from inertia will not causethe transfer hammer 58 to insert a full bobbin and eject a spent bobbinas the lever 84 will have short circuited the relay 30 to de-energizethe same thus returning the elements of the linkage to the positionshown in FIGURE 2 wherein the arm 70 is out of the path of the duckbill72. Thus a full bobbin will not be inserted into the shuttle until afterthe cause for stoppage of the loom has been corrected.

The system heretofore described and illustrated diagrammatically in thedrawings fully and effectively accomplishes the advantages and objectsof the present invention It will be realized, however, that theforegoing specific embodiments have been shown and described only forthe purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and aresubject to some changes without de par-ting from such principles.

Therefore, the terminology used in the specification is for the purposeof description and not limitation, the spirit and scope of the inventionbeing defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic replenishing loom having a box side with a fillingdetector, a replenishing side having a filling change mechanismincluding a pivotal hammer for inserting a full bobbin in a shuttle andstripping a spent bobbin therefrom, a reciprocating lay, the improvementin means for controlling the filling change mechanism when the fillingdetector indicates a spent bobbin comprising: an electrical circuithaving a relay therein; a normally open switch in said circuit andoperatively connected to the filling detector and closed by the samewhen a spent bobbin is detected at the box side of the loom, said relaybeing energized when said switch is closed; a normally open holdingcircuit for said relay, said holding circuit being closed when saidrelay is initially energized by closing of said detector switch; anormally open switch mounted in parallel with respect to said relay,said normally open switch being actuated to closed posit-ion by movementof said hammer whereby said holding circuit is short circuited so thatsaid relay is deenergized thus causing said solenoid to return saidlinkage to its inactive position; a second normally open circuit havinga solenoid therein and adapted to be closed upon energizing of saidrelay; linkage means operatively connected to the hammer and to thesolenoid, said link age means being actuated upon energizing of saidsolenoid from an inactive position to a second position for initiatingactuation of the hammer; means movable by the lay and operativelyengaging said linkage means when said linkage means is in said secondposition to thereby move said linkage means on the next pick afterdetection by said filling detector so as to cause the hammer to insertthe full bobbin in the shuttle while stripping the spent bobbintherefrom.

2. In an automatic replenishing loom having a box side with a fillingdetector, a replenishing side having a filling change mechanismincluding a pivotal hammer for inserting a full bobbin in a shuttle andstripping a spent bobbin therefrom, a reciprocating lay, the improvementin means for controlling the filling change mechanism when the fillingdetector indicates a spent bobbin comprising: an electrical circuithaving a relay therein; a normally open switch in said circuit andoperatively connected to the filling detector and closed by the samewhen a spent bobbin is detected at the box side of the loom, said relaybeing energized when said switch is closed; a normally open holdingcircuit for said relay, said holding circuit being closed when saidrelay is initially energized by closing of said detector switch; anormally open switch mounted in parallel with respect to said relay,said normally open switch being actuated to closed position by movementof said hammer whereby said holding circuit is short circuited so thatsaid relay is de-energized thus causing said solenoid to return saidlinkage to its inactive position; means to short circuit said relaywhenever said loom is inoperative; a second normally open circuit havinga solenoid therein and adapted to be closed upon energizing of saidrelay; linkage means operatively connected to the hammer and to thesolenoid, said linkage means being actuated upon energizing of saidsolenoid from an inactive position to a second position for initiatingactuation of the hammer; means movable by the lay and operativelyengaging said linkage means when said linkage means is in said secondposition to thereby move said linkage means on the next pick afterdetection by said filling detector so as to cause the hammer to insertthe full bobbin in the shuttle while stripping the spent bobbintherefrom.

3. The automatic replenish 'mg loom as claimed in claim 2 in which saidlast-mentioned means includes a normally open switch in parallel withsaid relay and switch actuator means movable upon stopping of the loomto close said last-mentioned switch.

4. In an automatic replenishing loom having a box side with a fillingdetector, a replenishing side having a filling change mechanismincluding a pivotal hammer for inserting a full bobbin in a shuttle andstripping a spent bobbin therefrom, a reciprocating lay,'the improvementin the filling detector indicates a spent bobbin comprising: anelectrical circuit having a relay therein; a norm-ally open switch insaid circuit and operatively connected to the filling detector andclosed by the same when a spent bobbin is detected at the box side ofthe loom, said relay being energized when said switch is closed; anormally open holding circuit for said relay, said holding circuit beingclosed when said relay is initially energized by closing of saiddetector having switch; a second normally open circuit having a solenoidtherein and adapted to be closed upon energizing of said relay; linkagemeans operatively connected to the hammer and to the solenoid, saidlinkage means being actuated upon energizing of said solenoid from aninactive position to a second position for initiating actuation of thehammer; means movable by the lay and operatively engaging said linkagemeans when said link-age means is in said second position to therebymove said linkage means on the next pick after detection by said fillingdetector so as to cause the hammer to insert the full bobbin in theshuttle while stripping the spent bobbin therefrom; said linkage meansincluding a connecting rod connected at one end to and movable by saidsolenoid, an arm operatively pivotally connected intermediate its endsto said hammer on an axis parallel to and displaced laterally from thepivotal axis of said hammer, said arm being pivotally connected at oneend to said rod, a cam follower carried by said arm at its opposite end,a cam pivoted on the pivot axis of the hammer, and an actuating armfixed to said cam and movable thereby into the second position forengagement with the means movable by the lay.

5. In an automatic replenishing loom having a box side with a fillingdetector, a replenishing side having a filling change mechanismincluding a pivotal hammer for inserting a full bobbin in a shuttle andstripping a spent bobbin therefrom, a reciprocating lay, the improvementin means for controlling the fill-ing change mechanism when the fillingdetector indicates a spent bobbin comprising: linkage means at thereplenishing side of the loom and operatively connected to the hammer,said linkage means being actuated from an inoperative position to asecond position for initiating actuation of the hammer, said linkagemeans including a rod, an arm pivotally connected intermediate its endsto said hammer on an axis parallel to and displaced laterally from thepivotal axis of said hammer, said arm being pivotally connected at oneend to said rod, a cam follower carried by said arm at its opposite end,a cam pivotal on the pivot axis of the hammer, and an actuating armfixed to said cam and movable thereby; means operatively connected toand actuated by the filling detector for moving the rod of said linkagewhen the filling detector detects a spent bobbin at the box side of theloom; said rod when moved by said last-mentioned means causing saidlinkage to move from an inactive position to second position; and meansmovable by said lay and engageable with the actuating arm fixed to saidcam when the same has been moved to the second position to thereby causesaid hammer to pivot about its axis and insert a full bobbin in theshuttle while stripping a spent bobbin therefrom.

6. The automatic replenishing loom as claimed in claim 5 in which saidmeans operatively connected to and actuated by the filling detector formoving the rod of said linkage includes a first electrical circuithaving a relay therein, a normally open switch in said circuit andoperatively connected to the filling detector, said switch being closedupon detection of a spent bobbin, a holding circuit for said relay, asecond circuit normally open and having a solenoid therein, said secondcircuit being closed upon energizing of said relay, said solenoid insaid second circuit being operatively connected to said rod for movingthe same.

7. The automatic replenishing loom as claimed in claim 6 including meansfor short circuiting said holding circuit when the hammer is actuated,said means including a normally open switch in parallel with said relay,said lastmentioned switch being operatively connected to and closed uponactuation of the hammer.

8. The automatic replenishing loom as claimed in claim 7 including meansto short circuit said holding circuit when said loom is stopped, saidmeans including a normally open switch in parallel with said relay andalso in parallel with the switch of said first mentioned shortcircuiting means, said last-mentioned switch being closed upon stoppageof said loom.

9. The automatic replenishing loom as claimed in claim ,5 in whichsaidmeans movable by the lay includes a duckbill operatively positionedto engage the actuating arm of said linkage means when the same is inthe second position.

References Cited MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

H. S. JAUDON, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC REPLENISHING LOOM HAVING A BOX SIDE WITH A FILLINGDETECTOR, A REPLENISHING SIDE HAVING A FILLING CHANGE MECHANISMINCLUDING A PIVOTAL HAMMER FOR INSERTING A FULL BOBBIN IN A SHUTTLE ANDSTRIPPING A SPENT BOBBIN THEREFROM, A RECIPROCATING LAY, THE IMPROVEMENTIN MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FILLING CHANGE MECHANISM WHEN THE FILLINGDETECTOR INDICATES A SPENT BOBBIN COMPRISING: AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUITHAVING A RELAY THEREIN; A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN SAID CIRCUIT ANDOPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE FILLING DETECTOR AND CLOSED BY THE SAMEWHEN A SPENT BOBBIN IS DETECTED AT THE BOX SIDE OF THE LOOM, SAID RELAYBEING ENERGIZED WHEN SAID SWITCH IS CLOSED; A NORMALLY OPEN HOLDINGCIRCUIT FOR SAID RELAY, SAID HOLDING CIRCUIT BEING CLOSED WHEN SAIDRELAY IS INITIALLY ENERGIZED BY CLOSING OF SAID DETECTOR SWITCH; ANORMALLY OPEN SWITCH MOUNTED IN PARALLEL WITH RESPECT TO SAID RELAY,SAID NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH BEING ACTUATED TO CLOSED POSITION BY MOVEMENTOF SAID HAMMER WHEREBY SAID HOLDING CIRCUIT IS SHORT CIRCUITED SO THATSAID RELAY IS DEENERGIZED THUS CAUSING SAID SOLENOID TO RETURN SAIDLINKAGE TO ITS INACTIVE POSITION; A SECOND NORMALLY OPEN CIRCUIT HAVINGA SOLENOID THEREIN AND ADAPTED TO BE CLOSED UPON ENERGIZING OF SAIDRELAY; LINKAGE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE HAMMER AND TO THESOLENOID, SAID LINKAGE MEANS BEING ACTUATED UPON ENERGIZING OF SAIDSOLENOID FROM AN INACTIVE POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION FOR INITIATINGACTUATION OF THE HAMMER; MEANS MOVABLE BY THE LAY AND OPERATIVELYENGAGING SAID LINKAGE MEANS WHEN SAID LINKAGE MEANS IS IN SAID SECONDPOSITION TO THEREBY MOVE SAID LINKAGE MEANS ON THE NEXT PICK AFTERDETECTION BY SAID FILLING DETECTOR SO AS TO CAUSE THE HAMMER TO INSERTTHE FULL BOBBIN IN THE SHUTTLE WHILE STRIPPING THE SPENT BOBBINTHEREFROM.